Hilo will play Waiakea, but the Vikings won’t be playing the Warriors.
The operative R-word here is respect, not rivalry, according to Hilo coach Curtis Chong.
The under-19 division at the Volcano International Soccer Tournament, which starts Friday at Hilo Bayfront, is a bit tattered but not broken. The Hilo and Waiakea girls each will play Excel Soccer of Maui twice in the three-team field, and they’ll face off once.
Chong said that while it’s true one side leans heavily toward the Vikings and the other to the Warriors, the final tournament of the American Youth Soccer Association year does not directly translate to the high school rivalry.